Improvement in rein-holders



T. H. LUCAS. Rein-Holder.

No. 222,830. Patented Dec. 23,1879.

w| masses A INVENTOR j ATTURNEi! NJETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WRSHINGTON.Dv (3v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. LUCAS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN RElN-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,830, dated December23, 1879; application filed November 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. LUCAS, of Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rein-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and useit, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part ofthis specification.

. My invention relates to an improvement in rein-holders, the objectbcin g to provide a reinholder of such construction that it may readilybe applied to a vehicle, and serve as aholder for the reins, and therebyprevent them from being accidentally or otherwise withdrawn from thevehicle; and to this end my invention consists in the combination, witha horizontal rein-supporting bar, of a retaining-bar,

connected atone end to the supporting-bar, and its opposite end adaptedto be detachably secured thereto, whereby there may be formed a closedslot, through which the reins may pass, and the reins held in anydesired position by means of suitable adjustable stops attached t0 thereins.

My invention further consists in the several details of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and

pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of myimproved reinholder as attached to a wagon. Fig. 2 is an enlargeddetached view of the device, representing the retaining-bar in itsunlocked position for the insertion of the reins. Fig. 3 is an enlargeddetached view of the device with the retaining-bar locked in place. Fig.4. is a modified construction of rein-holder standard. Fig. 5 is a view,in perspective, of one of the rein stops or checks.

A represents the dashboard of a wagon or other vehicle. To thedash-board or floor of the wagon are secured, in any desired manner, thelower ends of standards B B, which are preferably made of spring-metalbars or rods, the upper ends of which are connected by a rein-supportingrod, D. A rein-retaining rod, E, is secured at one end to standard B,While its opposite end is left free, and may be secured within the openeye or catch F, connected with the upper end of standard B.

Bar or rod E is made of spring metal, so that when its free end isreleased from its catch it will spring upward or away from thestationary bar D and allow the reins to be readily removed or inserted,as may be desired. The bar E may be formed as a continuation of thestandard B, if desired, and also the catch or eye F may be made separatefrom an d attached to standard B; or it may be formed in single piecetherewith.

By removing the free end of the bar E from its catch it will springupward, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thus be in position for the readyinsertion of the reins GG, as shown in Fig. l. The outer or free end ofthe bar E being depressed and secured within the catch, the reins arethen securely held within the elongated narrow opening or slot formedbetween the two bars D E. In order to prevent the reins from slippingendwise through this narrow opening I secure to the reins the adjustablechecks or stops H, each of which consists of the two plates h h,provided with oppositelyprojecting flanges; i, said plates being ad'-justably secured to the rein by means of the screws jj. Thus when thereins are dropped by the driver the stops or checks H on the reins willcome in contact with the two bars D E and prevent the reins from beingwithdrawn, and consequently preclude the accidents so often resultingfrom the reins falling beneath the feet of the horse.

By having the standards made of spring metal the checks or stops H maybe so attached to the reins as to leave but very little slack in thereins, as the standards will yield to allow of the varied movement ofthe head of the horse, and thus obviate all danger of breaking therein-holder or reins, and also making such an attachment of little or noannoyance to the horse.

The device should be of such height that the reins may be supported insuch a manner as to prevent the horse from swinging his tail over themwhile driving. To insure this object it may require various adjustmentswith difl'ercut-sized horses, and hence the lowerends of thespring-standards may be held in open sockets or sleeves, and retained inany desired vertical adjustment by means of set-screws or otherequivalent means.

In Fig. 4 I have represented my improvement supported on a singlestandard, K, instead of employing two standards, as heretofore setforth.

Standard K may be inserted in a sleeve, L, and retained in any desiredvertical adjustment by means of the setscrew M.

In the drawings I have shown only one form of rein stops or checks, butdo not confine myself to such construction, as I may use a regularhand-loop with a disk or other device for retaining the reins againstdisplacement.

It is evident that many slight changes in the construction and relativearrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from thespirit of my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I donot limit myself to the exact construction shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rein-holder, the combination, with supporting standard orstandards, of tWo cross-bars connected with their upper ends andadjustable stops or checks attached to the reins, substantially as setforth.

2. In a rein-holder, the combination, with spring or yielding standardsor supports and a stationary rein-supporting bar, of a spring lever orbar, a hook or catch, and stops or checks attached to the reins,substantially as set forth.

3. The rein stops or checks formed in sections and provided Withoutwardly-projecting flanges, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this30th day of October, 1879.

THOMAS H. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

A. W. BRIGHT, E. H. GATE.

